Kazakhstan's approach to foreign relations is multifaceted and strategic, reflecting the country's unique geopolitical position, historical context, and economic ambitions. At the heart of its international diplomacy is a multivector foreign policy, which aims to maintain balanced and diverse relations with all major global powers and regional neighbours. Kazakhstan is a member of the United Nations, Collective Security Treaty Organization, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (which it chaired in 2010), North Atlantic Cooperation Council, Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and NATO's Partnership for Peace program. Kazakhstan established a customs union with Russia and Belarus which eventually became the Eurasian Economic Union. President Nazarbayev has prioritized economic diplomacy into Kazakhstan's foreign policy.
Economic cooperation and development are pivotal in Kazakhstan's foreign policy framework. The nation actively seeks to attract foreign investment, especially in its oil and gas sectors. Kazakhstan is keen on expanding its economic ties across the globe, understanding the critical role of economic interdependence in fostering stable international relations.
In recent years, the government of Kazakhstan have stated that one of their main goals is to become more integrated with the Asia-Pacific region, which they describe as a "rapidly developing" region. This involves becoming more integrated on both an economic level and a people to people level. As part of this push, Kazakh diplomas became recognized across many countries in Asia-Pacific in 2026.
Kazakhstan is a proponent of nuclear non-proliferation, having renounced its nuclear arsenal after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The country actively participates in global discussions on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, leveraging its history to influence these debates. In December 2010, Kazakhstan held its first OSCE summit since 1999.
Kazakhstan has also increasingly positioned itself as a mediator in international disputes, offering its territory as a neutral ground for diplomatic engagement and hosting high-profile international meetings and negotiations.
Environmental sustainability is another focus of Kazakhstan's international engagement. Confronted with challenges like the desiccation of the Aral Sea, Kazakhstan advocates for global cooperation on environmental issues, emphasizing the necessity of collective action to address ecological concerns.
Kazakhstan’s foreign policy is grounded in a respect for international law, sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of states. The nation is an active participant in the United Nations and various international organisations.
Multilateral agreements Kazakhstan, since gaining independence in 1991, has been an active participant in the international community, signing numerous multilateral agreements.
Kazakhstan became a member of the UN in 1992 and has since been a participant in various UN treaties and conventions.
Kazakhstan joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state in 1993, emphasizing its commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Kazakhstan signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996, further solidifying its stance against nuclear testing.
Kazakhstan is a founding member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a political, economic, and security organization established in 2001, along with China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Kazakhstan became a World Trade Organization member in 2015, committing to the organisation's rules and regulations to promote international trade.
In 2015 Kazakhstan joined the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. In September the Kazakh Senate ratified the Convention, which unites 26 countries, including the United States, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela and other countries.
In December 2015, the European Union and Kazakhstan signed an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). This new Agreement, the first of its kind with a Central Asian partner, brought relations between the EU and Kazakhstan to a new level and represented an important milestone in more than 25 years of EU-Kazakhstan relations.
Kazakhstan is a signatory to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance.
In November 2025 Kazakhstan confirmed that it had joined the Abraham Accords. The country has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel since 1992.
Concept of Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2020-2030 The Concept of Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2020-2030 outlines the country's diplomatic strategy and priorities in the international arena. Key aspects include:
Analysis of the Current Situation: Recognises the complex transformation of international relations, including crises of confidence, conflict, erosion of international law, and security challenges like terrorism and cyber warfare. Basic Foreign Policy Principles: Emphasizes continuity with the policies of the First President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and focuses on building a stable, fair, and democratic world order. It promotes the external openness of the state, a multi-vector policy, multilateralism, and links between security and development. Strategic Goals: Aims to strengthen the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Kazakhstan, consolidate its position in Central Asia, and position the country as a responsible member of the international community. It focuses on maintaining friendly relations with other states and using foreign policy to enhance the national economy and the quality of life of its citizens. Implementation Tasks: Includes forming a stable and secure space around Kazakhstan, continuing to strengthen international peace and cooperation, and developing new approaches to key foreign policy issues. It also aims to achieve a new level of "economisation" of foreign policy and enhance the country's image globally through humanitarian diplomacy. Key Priorities: The concept outlines priorities in maintaining international peace and security, economic diplomacy, human rights, humanitarian diplomacy, and environmental protection. It emphasizes cooperation in various fields, including human rights, intercultural dialogue, environmental protection, and regional and multilateral diplomacy. Implementation Tools and Expected Results: The President of Kazakhstan sets the main directions of foreign policy, with support from the Parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The implementation is expected to consolidate Kazakhstan's state independence, strengthen security, form favourable external relations, and integrate the country further into the international community.
Economic diplomacy The Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan assumed the new function of attracting investments to Kazakhstan in December 2018. As part of the new responsibilities, the Ministry oversees activities in attracting foreign investment and promoting Kazakh exports abroad, taking away these responsibilities from the reformed Ministry for Investment and Development. Two main objectives of Kazakhstan's economic diplomacy include comprehensive support of Kazakh business abroad and promotion of non-resource export. These objectives are set to help achieve the goals of diversifying the economy, creating new jobs, promoting innovative technologies and attracting foreign investors.
As part of economic diplomacy, Kazakhstan compiled a list of 40 countries its Foreign Ministry is to target in a bid to attract more foreign investment. Coordinated by the Foreign Ministry, Kazakhstan's diplomatic missions also address issues of strategic interest to Kazakhstan's business community in their receiving states.
Border issues Kazakhstan resolved the border determination issues with Kyrgyzstan in 2001, Uzbekistan in 2002, and Turkmenistan in 2017. The country became the first country to resolve border issues with the countries of the region.
Kazakhstan and China resolved their longstanding border issues, fostering a strong partnership that enabled increased investment and economic collaboration. The resolution of these border disputes was pivotal in the development of Kazakh-Chinese economic ties and in combating terrorism. This resolution was also a significant step in reducing tensions and enhancing security in the region.
Kazakhstan reached an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea with Russia and Azerbaijan. This agreement was a crucial step in defining the borders of the national sectors of the Caspian seabed for Kazakhstan, Russia, and Azerbaijan, allowing these littoral states exclusive rights for the development and use of the seabed. Kazakhstan, along with Azerbaijan, Iran, the Russian Federation, and Turkmenistan, signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. This convention, signed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, represented a significant diplomatic achievement, concluding more than two decades of negotiations.
Nuclear weapons non-proliferation When the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991, Kazakhstan inherited 1,410 nuclear warheads and the Semipalatinsk nuclear-weapon test site. By April 1995, Kazakhstan had returned the warheads to Russia and, by July 2000, had destroyed the nuclear testing infrastructure at Semipalatinsk.
Kazakhstan launched The ATOM (Abolish Testing. Our Mission) Project, an international campaign aimed at raising awareness about the human and environmental impacts of nuclear weapons testing. The project seeks to bring an end to nuclear weapons testing globally and to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Kazakhstan was instrumental in the establishment of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (CANWFZ), which includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This zone is the first in the Northern Hemisphere and is significant for regional security.
On 2 December 2009, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon and the Republic of Kazakhstan designated 29 August as International Day against Nuclear Tests, the anniversary of the date that Kazakhstan closed the Semipalatinsk test site in 1991.
Kazakhstan is a strong supporter of the CTBT and advocates for its universal adoption and entry into force. The country has also established a network of monitoring stations as part of the International Monitoring System to detect nuclear tests.
The contribution of Kazakhstan's President Nazarbayev to nuclear non-proliferation was highly recognized by Japan. During his visit to Japan in November 2016, Nursultan Nazarbayev was awarded the title of special honorary citizen of Hiroshima for his non-proliferation efforts.
Peacekeeping initiatives The first country to which Kazakhstan deployed its peacekeeping forces was Tajikistan. On 11 November 1992, due to a worsening situation, the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan appealed to the CIS countries for peacekeeping support. On 22 January 1993, at a CIS summit in Minsk, state leaders reviewed and approved this request. President Nursultan Nazarbayev ordered a composite battalion of 700 soldiers, composed of border, internal, and ground forces, to be sent to Tajikistan to secure a section of the border with Afghanistan. During the mission, Kazakhstani soldiers successfully repelled multiple attacks by armed groups attempting to cross into Tajikistan, establishing a reliable barrier against arms and drug smuggling. The Kazakhstani battalion remained stationed on the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border until 2001 when the situation stabilized.